Titelblad: Nouvelles cheminées à paneaux de glace exécuté dans quelques hôtels à Paris before 1726

Editor: So, here we have an engraving from before 1726, currently held at the Rijksmuseum. The title is "Titelblad: Nouvelles cheminées à paneaux de glace exécuté dans quelques hôtels à Paris"— which translates to "Title page: New fireplaces with glass panels executed in some hotels in Paris." It's attributed to Anonymous. It's quite striking, but also feels very technical, almost like an architectural diagram. What leaps out at you when you see it? Curator: You're right, it is diagrammatic! And while "Anonymous" gets the credit, I like to imagine a disgruntled apprentice slaving away in a Parisian print shop, meticulously etching these lines. Can you feel the cold precision of the baroque, desperate to impose order on the world, or perhaps just a chilly Parisian salon? Editor: A chilly salon, definitely! I hadn't thought of it that way. I was too busy noticing the symmetry and the incredibly detailed ornamentation. It's beautiful, but in a very formal way. Curator: Exactly! This isn’t about cozy intimacy; it's about power and prestige. Those fireplaces weren’t just for warmth, were they? Think about the shimmering reflections from those "paneaux de glace." How do you think that might affect the feel of a room, or someone's sense of themself? Editor: It sounds like they must have been meant to be quite opulent, probably made the room seem bigger, brighter… Maybe even a little vain, with everyone catching glimpses of themselves in the glass. Curator: Yes! Architecture isn’t just bricks and mortar; it’s a reflection of our desires, our anxieties, our sense of self. This engraving, in its own way, captures a society obsessed with image. Don't you think? Editor: That's such an interesting point. I'll never look at a fireplace the same way again! I always think of a source of warmth, rather than a status symbol of image and prestige. Curator: That's the fun, isn't it? Peeling back the layers to see what truly flickers beneath.